What I've Been Up To

Hey guys!  So sorry it's been so long since I've blogged, but I have a few adventures I want to share.  I'm a busy lion, you know....not always a lot of time for blogging.  :)

Summer is my favorite time of year and I've especially enjoyed the hot and humid days we've had so far.  I'm from Nigeria you know, so I flourish in the heat!  Sometimes I can't resist lounging on the porch with my belly in the air!  Of course I have to make sure I don't freak out the neighbors.  Not everyone would be understanding of a lion in the city.  Ha!  Okay, so here come the photos of my most recent adventures!!



 

 

This is Axel, the newest addition to our family.  He is my cousin, I think.  Babies love me!!

Here I am on our annual trip to Stoney Creek in Osseo, WI.  Lounging on the bed.

 

Mom and I outside the cabin, getting ready to head out for some shopping and adventure.

With Mom and Aunt Molly....what can I say....the chicks dig me!  ;)

My cousin Logan loves to carry me around and give me snuggles.  I might love it too!!

 

Me and my cousins at Weavers - aren't we the cutest guys you have ever seen????!!!!

Just me at the Weavers signs.  Can you find me amidst the flowers???

Dad and I hanging out on the porch in the rain on Sunday as we were getting ready to leave.

Who is that handsome lion???  ;)

Me and cousin Marshall playing with the tablet. 

I am really good at snuggling and keeping Aunt Molly warm while we play board games!!

 

Well, that is what I've been up to lately.  And don't think it ends here.  In just a couple of weeks I will be at my post serving up pork chops at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!  Not to mention Mom has a full weekend of organizing planned next weekend and we all know she wouldn't get a thing done without my supervision.  HeeHee!

Hope you all enjoy my pictures!

 

Radcliffe

Canal Park once again

Hello there, I am finally back after a long break. And once again we are back in the port city of Duluth Minnesota. Canal Park is our second home for sure. We snuck away for a pre-Christmas getaway just me and the parents. Room service , Christmas lights, card games and beautiful winter weather. I am of course not a big fan of the later , desert and the plains of Africa suite me much better. Here are some of our pics from our nice relaxing weekend!!

The William Irvin just right outside of our hotel room!!

Me and Mom hangin out...my favorite part!!

Care for a game of Killer Bunnies anyone???

Hmm. the 257th picture Dad has taken of the lift bridge:-)

Bentleyville tour of lights...

Ahh , the reason for the season...Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

This was a great time for my family , just spending time together is our favorite thing to do!!

M.R.

A New Adventure

Hey Everyone!!! Its been awhile, but I have a new adventure to blog about and boy was it crazy!  Sorry I don't any pictures of me to share on this one, but I do have some pictures to show at the end so keep reading.

Here's the story.  Dad took the day off work to head out to Duluth with Mom and I.  I was so excited because you know how I love a good adventure!  We turned on the television in the morning to check the weather and they were talking about tons of rain and flooding in Duluth and even some animals missing at the zoo up there!  We decided to go anyway and see how far we could get.  As we got closer to Duluth, Highway 35 was getting wetter and wetter and there were spots along the side were we could see the rivers high and the water creeping up, but we kept going.  We headed over the hill into Duluth and it was so foggy we couldn't see anything!  Just over the hill, 35 was closed so they were rerouting everyone into the west part of the city.  We probably should have turned around and gone home but our love of adventure kept us right on going.  We ended up taking a back way on Superior Street through a pretty big "lake" and basically "floated" the car under a bridge.  It was scary, but I trusted Dad to get us through.  :)

We finally made it to Canal Park.  Mom and Dad tromped through the rain with their giant umbrella and had some fun looking at the lake and going into a few shops.  After hearing that the mayor had declared an emergency we decided we should probably head back south and just have our fun day out someplace else so we didn't get stuck.  Too late.  Here's where the story really gets good.  We headed through downtown Duluth and up the hill.  There was water EVERYWHERE!  Rolling down the hills like crazy, buckling the roads...it was insane!  We made it up the hill and went the back way around the mall, so we didn't see too much up there.  We decided to try Hwy 53 to make it back to 35 that way and try to get out.  It was flooded.  So we tried Skyline Parkway.  Nope...flooded.  We tried several back roads to make it out...all flooded.  Then we decided to try US 2 and headed to 33 South to Cloquet.  We figured we'd pick up Hwy 35 out of Cloquet.  But 33 South was flooded.  Back to US 2 and heading to 73 South....nope...US 2 was flooded further down.  Seriously?  At every turn roads were closing due to the floods.  Finally we gave up at around 1pm and decided to head back to Duluth and try to go out the same way we came in.  As we tried to get around the mall again up on the hill, we came around the other side and the mall parking lot was flooded, Target was half under water, Grandma's restaurant was half under water - or the parking lots were anyway - insane!  Even the hill was flooded.  We were starting to feel trapped!  :)

Finally, we made it down the hill and were on 35 feeling pretty good but it wasn't to be.....35 was blocked and we ended up back on Superior Street.  We made it back to the spot in west Duluth where we first got on and were just getting back on 35 South there and so excited!!!!  We were finally headed home!  We got to Black Bear Casino and were direct by orange cones off the highway and greeted with a big orange sign that said "Ramp Closed".  No detour signs, no explanation, no clue where to go.  Sigh.  So we ended up going west on Hwy 210...pull out the road map.......................I was starting to get pretty scared at this point, plus I was trying to be the comic relief to keep my Mom and Dad from losing their minds.  :):)  In looking at the map we decided that 210 would take us all the way to Hwy 65 and we could get home from there.  It was 3:30 by now and we had not eaten all day and were so tired!!!  We got within 3 or 4 miles of Hwy 65 after driving through some decent size "puddles" or "lakes" and they had the road blocked.  ARGH!!!  We asked a trooper how to get to 65 South and he chuckled a little.  He re-routed us to Cty Rds 6, 40 and 14 and back to 65South but then told us that 65 South was closed soon after that point.  So we took all of those roads, got back on 65 and then had to immediately get back on 210 West and all the way to 169 in Aitkin.  So think about this.  We went to Duluth at 10am this morning, spent one hour there and ended up heading home around 4pm through Aitkin on 169.  Jeepers Creepers!!!!!  169 was clear, thank goodness but there was one point where we saw the water creeping towards the road behind us...I wouldn't be suprised if it ended up closing later at some point.  I don't think there was a spot anywhere in Northern Minnesota unaffected.

We finally made it to Elk River and had some dinner at the Pizza Ranch - Well, I ate in the car since they don't really serve "my kind" in there.  ;)  Now that we are home we of course are thankful and realize that it could have been so much worse.  It was a bummer to have what should have been a relaxing day off for Dad and a fun family day out turn into a mini nightmare, but at least we are safe.  Our prayers and thoughts go out to the families and people who are hurting and facing loss and uncertain futures because of the floods.  Those who live up there and are losing their homes.  God sure showed us just how powerful He is and just how small we are.  How much we need Him.

That was my adventure for this summer so far!!!!  Not what I expected, but it sure was crazy!!!  Hopefully my next trip will be a little less eventful and a little more light-hearted!  :)  Here are some pictures of the craziness:

These pictures are nothing compared to what we saw on the news obviously...we didn't venture into those areas.  But it was still crazy!  I'm happy to be home and warm in my room!  Looking forward to telling you of my next adventure......Stoney Creek in August!!!!  :)

Have a great week!!

Radcliffe

Birthday Trip

Hey all! I'm back with some more pictures to share! :) Tomorrow I turn 12 years old and it is the same day as my Mom's birthday! (She is much, much older). HeeHee! We went and stayed at the Hilton in St. Louis Park for the night on Saturday and then ordered in room service for breakfast Sunday morning. I also got to ride in the car on Sunday and see some sights while the folks went shopping. I love any chance to spend a weekend with just my family!!! Here are some pictures, hope you enjoy!

This is our room. A nice, big king size bed with plenty of room for me!!!!!

This is where Mom and Dad had dinner while I stayed at the hotel and flirted with girls at the pool. ;)

They gave us warm cookies at check in - I even got one!

And this is me. Looking very handsome in the hotel room in the "fit for a king" chair. I am king of the jungle after all!!!

I hope you enjoyed my pictures! I'm off to watch some playoff hockey!

Radcliffe

Door County Trip

Hi! I'm finally back with another fun post about an adventure I took recently. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I went with my Mom and Dad on a road trip to Door County, WI. This was the first time I've ever visited this place and it was pretty great. I love riding in the car, especially when I can bask in the sunshine coming through the windows. And when Mom and Dad went out on the town, I stayed back and explored the cabin and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather. SO much better than being stuck at home.

We even made a detour at the end of our trip and ended up visiting my Auntie Rhonda in the U.P. She loves me, and was happy to have me stay the night at her place. I think I might have made her 5 other cats a little nervous though. ;)

I've put a few pictures from my trip below and a little description of what is going on in each one. Hope you enjoy!!

Me with my Lion candy bar. Mom and Dad found this in a British shop - pretty cool!

My favorite spot in the cottage. Looking out the window and basking in the sunshine.

Wearing my dapper hat and enjoying the pretty fall leaves outside our cottage.

Hanging out on the screened-in porch at our cottage enjoying the view.

This was right before we left. I'm ready for a road trip. Looking handsome as always and prepared for the chills with my awesome red scarf.

Until the next trip,

Radcliffe

My State Fair Experience!!

Hey all! Now that the Minnesota State Fair has come to a close for yet another year, I thought I'd share a little about my fun time there. See, for the past couple of years I have spent the 12 days of the fair helping out at the pork chop on a stick booth. In exchange, I get to sample lots of pork chops. Preferably before they are cooked. I am a lion, after all. :) Enjoy my pics! I'm hoping to have lots of adventures to post about this fall, from apple orchards to our Door County trip in October. Yeah!!

I'm checking out this group of dancing ladies. The ladies love me, what can I say??

Here I am working at the pork chop booth. I put in a lot of hours but it's so much fun!

I'm enjoying an early morning rest on one of the coveted Leinie's chairs!!!

Well, that's all for this year! Next year you'll have to stop by the pork chop booth and say hello! I'm there through the entire fair and always have such a fun time!!

Radcliffe

Flashback to 2008

Hey, it's me again! Since it will be awhile before my next trip, I thought I'd do a flashback to another outing I had. This one was in 2008. See, my folks took a trip up to Michigan to have Thanksgiving with family and since they are not quite as understanding about me (the fact that I appear to be a stuffed animal *winkwink*), I was left with my Aunt Molly and Uncle Peter to babysit me. My cousins Brady and Logan were also there. We had a really fun weekend and they took really good care of me. :)

I went home with Aunt Molly after Tuesday night bible study and didn't go home until Saturday after Thanksgiving, so it was quite awhile away from home. I was naughty a couple times, and had a couple of accidents, but I don't want to talk about that. :( I would rather share the fun stuff. So enjoy the photos!!

Having breakfast with cousin Brady.

Hanging out with my cousins Brady and Logan.

Checking out the Black Friday sales with Uncle Peter.

Enjoying some pie with Aunt Molly.

Watching some TV with Brady before it was time to go.

I had a great weekend with my aunt and uncle and would definitely do it again if the need arises. Especially now that I have a new cousin, Marshall, who absolutely adores me!

Until next time,

Radcliffe